Releasable hinge mount for window

ABSTRACT

An inverted, metal channel member is fitted and bonded onto the upper edge of a glass panel window for a transportation type vehicle. An upward extension on the channel has a laterally bent upper end for engagement with one side of a continuous, resilient hinge member extending along the upper edge of a window opening. A metal locking strip has one edge thereof shaped for releasable engagement with the channel member, and its opposite edge bent to engage the opposite side of the hinge member. An insert strip, fitted between the locking strip and the channel member, retains the locking strip in position, and causes the latter, and the bent upper end of the channel extrusion, to grip the hinge member therebetween to suspend the window therefrom. Removal of the insert strip frees the locking strip and thereby releases the window from the hinge.

United States Patent [191 Schubach June 11, 1974 RELEASABLE HINGE MOUNTFOR WINDOW [75] Inventor! Theodor Schubach, Bonita, Calif.

[73] Assignee: Rohr Industries, Inc., Chula Vista,-

Calif.

[22] Filed: Nov. 21, 1972 [21] Appl. No; 308,521

52 us. Cl. 49/4 [51] Int. Cl E061) 7/18 [58] Field of'search 49/466,141, 397, 50];

[56] References Cited FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 358,002 12/196lSwitzerland 49/141 Primary Examiner-Mervin Stein AssistantExaminer-Philip C. Kannan 57 7 ABSTRACT An inverted, metal channelmember is fitted and bonded onto the upper edge of a glass panel windowfor a transportation type vehicle. An upward extension on the channelhas a laterally bent upper end for engagement with one side of acontinuous, resilient hinge member extending along the upper edge of awindow opening, A metal locking strip has one edge thereof shaped forreleasable engagement with the channel member, and its opposite edgebent to engage the opposite side of the hinge member. An insert strip,fitted between the locking strip and the channel member, retains thelocking strip in position, and causes the latter, and the bent upper endof the channel extrusion, to grip the hinge member therebetween tosuspend the window therefrom. Removal of the insert strip frees thelocking strip and thereby releases the window from the hinge.

7 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure RELEASABLE HINGE MOUNT FOR WINDOW BACKGROUNDOF THE INVENTION U.S.Pat. application Ser. No. 267,427, filed June 29,1972, by Keith W. Tantlinger, and assigned to the assignee of thepresent invention, discloses a continuous hinge seal strip which ismounted along the aligned upper edges of a row of windows provided alongeach side of a transportation type vehicle. The structure defining theupperedge of each of the window openings has a channel therein, withundercut side walls, which receives and retains a thickened upper edgeportion of the hinge strip. While the arrangement of the aboveidentified invention works in a most satisfactory manner, it issometimes difficult to replace a window in the event it is broken ordamaged.

PURPOSE OF THE INVENTION BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The foregoingobjectives and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description and the accompanying drawing, wherein the singleFIGURE is a fragmentary, vertical, transverse, sectional view throughthe side wall of a transportation type vehicle in the zone of the upperportion of a window opening, with a window hingedly suspended therefromby structure embodying the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to the drawing indetail, an extrusion A, which may be of aluminum, is part of a sidewallmember of a transportation-type vehicle, such as a bus or rail car, andextends substantially the entire length of a side wall in which it isembodied. An inverted channel portion 10, integral with the extrusion A,has undercut side walls to receive and retain the thickened upper edgeportion 11 of a hinge member B of of resilient material, such as rubberor a suitable plastic, many of which materials are well known andreadily obtainable.

The hinge member B preferably extends substantially throughout thelength of the extrusion A, and is generally similar to the resilienthinge member disclosed in Patent Application, Ser. No. 267,427, referredto previously herein. An outer access panel C is'hingedly mounted alongits upper edge, not shown, to the vehicle side wall structure so that inits downswung position, illustrated, it engages the hinge member B as Ishown and seals against the entrance of outside air and dusttherebetween. This access panel C may be swung up out of the way foraccess to the inter-wall space, or when installing or performingmaintenance work on the windows.

. flange portion 12 of the hinge member B is provided below the channel'10, and has a plurality of narrow sealing lips 13 formed integrally onits inward side for sealing engagement with the extrusion A. Anoutwardly and downwardly extending flange 14 is also formed on theoutward side of the hinge member B opposite the flange l2 and terminatesin'a thin lower edge which has sealing engagement with'the transparentplate portion 15 of a window D which the present invention hingedlysupports.

An upwardly extending lip 17 is formed integrally on the inward side ofthe curved outer flange I4, and engages an outwardly and downwardlyextending flange 18 formed on the inverted channel portion 19 of achannel member 20 into which the upper portion of the window plateportion 15 is fitted and retained by suitable bOnding material, whichmay be of a well-known type. The top surface of the channel portion 19preferably is corrugated to have retaining engagement with a similarlycorrugated side of an insert strip 21, to be referred to later herein.

An upward extension 22 of the inner side wallof the channel portion 19bends outwardly at its upper edge to provide the inner half of a channel23 with undercut side walls in whichis seated, in retained position, thethickened lower edge portion 24 of the resilient hinge member B.

An upwardly and inwardly inclined groove 25 is provided in the outerface of the channel extension 22, and into this groove is inserted forslight wobble movement the upwardly inclined inner edge of a metallocking strip 27. The latter strip is of a length equal substantially tothe width of the window l), and has a rounded rib 28 extendinglengthwise along an upwardly facing portion thereof. The rib 28 isshaped and located for fitted insertion'into a channel 29 provided alongthe outer edge of an outwardly extending flange 30 forming the upperwall'of the groove 25 when the parts are fitted together as shown in thedrawing. The under side of the locking strip 27 is corrugated similarlyto the upper surface of the channel portion 19 and for a similar reason.1 i I Outwardly of its corrugated portion the locking strip 27 inclinesupwardly at 31, extends vertically upwardly at 32, and finally inwardlyalong its upper edge to form the other undercut side wall of the channel23.

The insert strip 21 preferably :is of slightly resilient material, issubstantially the same length as the locking strip 27, and is of uniformcross sectional size and shape throughout its length.

OPERATION OF THE ILLUSTRATED FORM OF THE INVENTION In installing .awindow D in a vehicle for which it is intended the thickened upper edgeof hinge strip B is inserted in channel 10, preferably by drawing it inlengthwise as explained in US. Pat. application, Ser. No. 267,427,referred to previously herein. With'the channel portion 19 bonded to thetransparent plate portion 15, and the access panel C swung up out of theway, the flange 14 is flexed upwardly to expose the thickened lower edgeportion 24 of the hinge member B. The outwardly bent upper edge of thechannel ex tension 22 is then hooked into engagement with the inner sideof the thickened lower edge portion 24 of the hinge member B as shown.

With the inwardly bent upper edge portion of the locking strip 27 hookedover the outer side of the thickened lower edge portion 24 of the hingemember B, the upwardly inclined inner edge of the locking strip isforced fully into its groove 25, the resilience of the hinge member Bpermitting the locking strip 27 to be tilted downwardly sufficiently toallow the rounded rib 28 to enter the channel 29. The insert strip 21 isthen inserted between the corrugated upper surface of the channelportion 19 and the lower corrugated surface of the locking strip 27 tosecure the parts in window supporting position as shown in the drawing.Since such insert strips and the manner of their insertion are wellknown for use in structures of various types, and since special toolsare readily available for their insertion, the details thereof areomitted.

The hinge member flange 14 is then released and allowed to flex down toits normal position and its lip 17 is engaged by the flange 18 asillustrated. The access panel C is then swung down into sealingengagement with the hinge flange 14, also as illustrated, to completethe installation.

To remove the window D for repair or replacement, the foregoingprocedure is reversed.

The invention provides a simple sturdy mounting for a window of the typedescribed which, unless damaged or intentionally released, will remainoperational indefinitely, but which can be easily released should thenecessity arise.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and usefuland desired to be secured by U.S. Letters Patent is:

l. A releasable hinge mount for releasably suspending a hingedly mountedwindow of a transportation type vehicle comprising, in combination witha hinge strip of resilient material mounted across the upper end of awindow opening,

a window of a size to close such opening,

a flange connected to, and extending upwardly from, the upper end of thewindow, and formed for clamping engagement with one side of a lower edgeportion of the hinge strip, said flange having a horizontal elementextending across the width of the window at its top,

a strip of rigid material with one edge thereof mounted for interlockingengagement with an element of the flange member, and formed for clampingengagement with the other side of such lower edge portion of the hingestrip, and

an insert member inserted, under at least slight pressure, between saidhorizontal element of the flange and the strip of rigid material, andurging the upwardly extending flange, and the other edge of the strip ofrigid material toward each other for clamping, window supportingengagement with the hinge strip, and for releasing the hinge strip forremoval of the window upon withdrawal of the insert member.

2. A releasable hinge mount as claimedin claim'l wherein the lower edgeportion of the hinge strip is thickened, and the upper edge portion ofthe upwardly extending flange, and the other edge of the strip of rigidmaterial, are both bent inwardly toward each other to overlie upper edgeportions of the thickened lower edge portion of the hinge strip.

3. A releasable hinge mount as claimed in claim 2 wherein said one edgeof the strip of rigid material is seated for limited, tilting engagementin a recess provided along a side of the upwardly extending flange.

4. A releasable hinge mount as claimed in claim 1 wherein the windowcomprises a panel of transparent sheet material, an inverted channelportion is fitted and bonded to the upper edge of the transparent panel,the upwardly extending flange extends upwardly along one side of thechannel portion, a portion of the strip of rigid material is spacedfrom, and substantially parallel to, a top surface formed on the channelportion, and the insert member is inserted in the space between such topsurface of the channel portion and'the portion of the strip memberspaced therefrom.

5. A releasable hinge mount as claimed in'claim 4 wherein the topsurface of the channel portion and the surface of the strip of rigidmaterial opposite thereto are corrugated to retain the insert whenfitted therebetween against accidental displacement.

6. A releasable hinge mount as claimed in claim 4 wherein a flangeextends laterally from an intermediate portion of the upwardly extendingflange directly above the recess into which said one edge of the stripof rigid material is seated, and interlocking means are provided betweenthe laterally extending flange and the strip of rigid material to retainthe strip of rigid material seated in its recess when the insert memberis inserted in the space between the top surface of the channel portionand the portion of the strip of rigid material opposite thereto.

7. A releasable hinge mount as claimed in claim 6 wherein theinterlocking means comprises a groove formed in one of the members to beinterlocked, and a bead is provided on the other of said members, andthe bead in one of the members is inserted in the groove in the other ofsaid members and is retained therein by the presence of the insert whenthe parts are fitted together with the insert strip inserted as definedin claim 6.

1. A releasable hinge mount for releasably suspending a hingedly mountedwindow of a transportation type vehicle comprising, in combination witha hinge strip of resilient material mounted across the upper end of awindow opening, a window of a size to close such opening, a flangeconnected to, and extending upwardly from, the upper end of the window,and formed for clamping engagement with one side of a lower edge portionof the hinge strip, said flange having a horizontal element extendingacross the width of the window at its top, a strip of rigid materialwith one edge thereof mounted for interlocking engagement with anelement of the flange member, and formed for clamping engagement withthe other side of such lower edge portion of the hinge strip, and aninsert member inserted, under at least slight pressure, between saidhorizontal element of the flange and the strip of rigid material, andurging the upwardly extending flange, and the other edge of the strip ofrigid material toward each other for clamping, window supportingengagement with the hinge strip, and for releasing the hinge strip forremoval of the window upon withdrawal of the insert member.
 2. Areleasable hinge mount as claimed in claim 1 wherein the lower edgeportion of the hinge strip is thickened, and the upper edge portion ofthe upwardly extending flange, and the other edge of the strip of rigidmaterial, are both bent inwardly toward each other to overlie upper edgeportions of the thickened lower edge portion of the hinge strip.
 3. Areleasable hinge mount as claimed in claim 2 wherein said one edge ofthe strip of rigid material is seated for limited, tilting engagement ina recess provided along a side of the upwardly extending flange.
 4. Areleasable hinge mount as claimed in claim 1 wherein the windowcomprises a panel of transparent sheet material, an inverted channelportion is fitted and bonded to the upper edge of the transparent panel,the upwardly extending flange extends upwardly along one side of thechannel portion, a portion of the strip of rigid material is spacedfrom, and substantially parallel to, a top surface formed on the channelportion, and the insert member is inserted in the space between such topsurface of the channel portion and the portion of the strip memberspaced therefrom.
 5. A releasable hinge mount as claimed in claim 4wherein the top surface of the channel portion and the surface of thestrip of rigid material opposite thereto are corrugated to retain theinsert when fitted therebetween against accidental displacement.
 6. Areleasable hinge mount as claimed in claim 4 wherein a flange extendslaterally from an intermediate portion of the upwardly extending flangedirectly above the recess into which said one edge of the stRip of rigidmaterial is seated, and interlocking means are provided between thelaterally extending flange and the strip of rigid material to retain thestrip of rigid material seated in its recess when the insert member isinserted in the space between the top surface of the channel portion andthe portion of the strip of rigid material opposite thereto.
 7. Areleasable hinge mount as claimed in claim 6 wherein the interlockingmeans comprises a groove formed in one of the members to be interlocked,and a bead is provided on the other of said members, and the bead in oneof the members is inserted in the groove in the other of said membersand is retained therein by the presence of the insert when the parts arefitted together with the insert strip inserted as defined in claim 6.